The artistic director and founder of 1st Position dance Academy was born on August 20, 1976 in Los Angeles, California. His passion for the performing and visual arts started at a young age. Dancing however, would not enter his life until he was 17.
He first started dancing in the second semester of his 11th grade year at The Hollywood Highschool for the Performing Arts, under the direction of Kenny Long. After graduating and leaving home at 19, he auditioned (through the dare of a friend) for the Joe Tremaine Dance Center Scholarship Program in North Hollywood, California. He was chosen to be one, of 32, out of 200 hopefuls. Under the direction of LA's top dance teachers and/or choreographers, with a full-time schedule of over 20 classes per week, he soon realised the realities and hard work involved in the pursuit of a professional dance carreer.
After successfully completing the program, he began to see his dreams fulfilled by working as a dancer in various television and live performances. Dancing was everything that he could have hoped for and more.
While touring with a national dance convention, he severely dislocated his left knee and was bedridden for almost a years time. Faced with this new challenge in his life, Jim asked himself the question, "What now?". Present to the realities of not being able to dance again, Jim had to rethink his life. As time went on,(and after some soul searching and healing) he began to dance again. This time, under the direction of Joaquin Escamilia who he later ended up assisting for a short period of time. After a while, he decided to start auditioning again and landed a small, out of state, job. The day before he was to fly to Florida for work, while taking class, he reinjured his left knee and was layed up for a three month period.
Jim was now faced with the question, "Will I ever be able to dance again?".
With the help of loving friends, teachers and family he threw himself back into class, once again, and started performing in small venues locally in the Los Angeles area. He was dancing but not like how he used to or wanted to and was left unfulfilled. This is when teaching entered the picture. Realising that he could still dance, be involved with dance and teach others at the same time, brought him a sense of satisfaction that he thought had been lost to him. Infact, it was his teachers that moved, touched and inspired him. Not only to become a better dancer but a better person as well. He is glad now that he can give something back.
1st Position Dance Academy is a dream of Jim's that he can now share with the rest of the world in hopes that his teaching and philosophy will move, touch and inspire you and your children, for a lifetime.